Public School Forum

A think-and-do tank committed to North Carolina public schools

Public School Forum to launch weekly TV show ‘Education Matters’ on WRAL-TV

Public School Forum was mentioned in WRAL-TV’s announcement about the upcoming Education Matters television show. The Public School Forum of North Carolina is launching a new weekly television program beginning October 2, 2016 on WRAL-TV, the NBC affiliate in the Raleigh-Durham/Fayetteville market. The program, Education Matters, aims to provide the public with real facts about […]

Chris Fitzsimon: Remember Teaching Fellows?

Keith Poston and NC Teaching Fellows were mentioned in a Salisbury Post op-ed about the former program: State lawmakers have finally taken a bold step toward addressing the looming teacher shortage in public schools. The Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate worked with Democrats to create a scholarship program to encourage bright high school students to enter the […]

Many NC School Districts Struggle To Find Teachers

The Public School Forum was mentioned in a WUNC news story about teacher vacancies across the state. The North Carolina Public School Forum estimates the newest salary increases would move North Carolina’s average teacher salary from ninth to seventh out of the 12 states in the Southeast.   Wake County, which employs around 10,000 teachers, […]

Teacher shortages, growing enrollment test public schools

Keith Poston spoke with Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools officials. Here’s a preview of what The Daily Advance said about his visit. North Carolina is facing critical teacher shortages while more students are swelling the public school system, one of the state’s top education policy experts told local educators and public officials last week.   Keith Poston, […]

Cumberland is up front in growing school voucher program

Keith Poston was quoted in a Fayetteville Observer article on school voucher program. Critics also say that unlike public schools, private schools don’t have to use licensed teachers, offer free or reduced-price lunches, provide transportation to students or provide special education services. Private schools also can select their students – or boot them if they […]

At Forum Gala, Former Governor Martin Calls on State to “Put Schools First”

Former North Carolina Governor James G. Martin and longtime Public School Forum leaders John Dornan and Jo Ann Norris received the 2016 Jay Robinson Education Leadership Award at the Forum’s annual gala last Thursday, May 19. More than 400 educators, business leaders, government officials and other supporters of public schools attended the event at the […]

Policymaker’s Education Primer 2016

As many elected and appointed officials have found, policymaking around education is a maze of interconnected issues ranging from financing to facilities, from mathematics to management, from technology to teachers. What we have created to help with this maze is the Forum’s Education Primer, an introduction to educational policymaking in North Carolina. It does not pretend […]

NC needs to stop the lollygagging and invest in teachers

There’s a scene in “Bull Durham” that features the Bulls manager throwing bats into the locker room shower and berating the team for the mortal sin of “lollygagging.” He wonders aloud, after being reminded of his team’s 8-16 record, “How did we ever win eight?” This scene popped into my mind when I read the […]

Turning around low-performing schools

The Public School Forum was featured in Education NC for its Study Group Committee on Low Performing Schools. Tomorrow, the Public School Forum of North Carolina will continue its Study Group Committee on Low Performing Schools with a presentation by Duke’s Helen “Sunny” Ladd on her research into the state’s turnaround efforts in elementary and middle schools. […]